Jace in an alley
by theolivetree
Summary: Jace has just arrived at the Glass City, only to find that Clary has followed, despite his warnings. Trying to blow off some steam, he runs into some trouble in an alley...
1. Chapter 1

It was early morning, the grey smog that covered New York like a blanket wrapping itself around Jace in swirling fists. His steps were heavy, echoing loudly against the confined walls of the deserted alley. His slim fingers where curled into a fist, his nails digging into the palms of his hands as his thoughts returned to how Clary had disobeyed him, how she had come to the Glass City when it was so dangerous, as if his warnings meant nothing at all.

He itched with the desire to hit something, or someone, anything to release the tension building knots in his shoulders. A sharp, musky breeze blew down the alley, and he was suddenly aware of the hairs on his neck standing straight up. He reached for the sheathed sword hanging at his waist just as he felt a pressure on the small of his back, and suddenly he was flying towards the opposite wall of the alley. His knuckles grazed the wall, and then his head collided with the bricks. His vision flickered for a second as he slumped down to the ground, breathing hitched and fast. He reached up to feel the right side of his head with his aching hand, and when he brought it back down, it was painted red.

A growl ripped its way through his throat as he sprung up, ignore the throbbing in his head and whipped around, stumbling to find his feet as the world spun around him. He reached for the wall to steady himself, and the demon crouched a couple feet away. It had a rounded, hunched body that balanced on four spindly legs. Its tail was long and ropy, lashing the ground behind it as it sniffed the air. It had black pockets sunken into its head where its eyes should've been, seeping a red substance that oozed and gushed. And it was huge, the size of two cars stacked on top of each other, its tail easily 20 feet long.

Jace reached for his sword again, peering down either side of the creature, looking for a weakness he could seek to exploit, or, at the very least, a way to escape. As his hand wrapped around the hilt, the creature uttered a deep, guttural gurgle and leaped, covering the distance between them far too fast for Jace's liking. He took a step back, then cursed and turned as he saw the beast's open mouth close around the tip of his sword. The demon ripped it from his grasp and spat it to the side of the alley where it lay smoking. Jace fled, turning his back to the giant creature as he sped down the narrow alley.

Looking for an escape, Jace hurriedly looked from side to side, searching for an alley too narrow for the demon to follow him into. Letting out a shout in triumph as he found one, he swung into a side alley so small his shoulders almost brushed the walls on either side of him as he went. He ran a few more feet before slowing to a walk, trying to calm his racing heartbeat. He looked over his shoulder once more to check that the demon was not pursuing him before looking forwards again. He squinted into the dark recesses of the alley, where he saw a dark shape huddled in the alley. Frowning he made to turn around when he heard soft moaning coming from the figure. He reached for his sword and, remembering he had lost it, reached for his faintly glowing stele instead.

As the sound got louder he quickly turned and, in quick steps, moved towards the figure. The moaning was getting louder, and as he got closer he released what he'd thought was one person was actually two pressed together...

What do you think should happen next? Taking suggestions...


	2. Chapter 2

Since no one seemed to have any suggestions, I just kept going. This starts from the last paragraph of the last upload...

As the sound got louder he swiftly turned and, in quick steps, moved towards the figure. The moaning was getting louder, and as he got closer he released what he'd thought was one person was actually two pressed together, their bodies flush against one another from knees to chest. Their heads were touching, and their lips were pressed together, mouths slightly open as they kissed. Jace grimaced as the image brought back memories of Clary's fingers on his arm, her skin warm against his... Pushing the memory away, he quickened his stride and, in three steps, reached the figures. Not giving them time to react, he jackknifed his left fist into one of the figure's sides and then went to stab the other with his stele.

Even as he moved, the figure he had punched hissed and pulled back the hood he had over his head in one swift motion. Jace froze midswing, his glowing stele inches away from the other figure's side. In the dark, it took a moment for Jace to recognize Alec. His dark hair was in disarray, his cheeks flushed pink, and even his ears were faintly tinted red.

"Jace!" Alec spat in a low voice. "What are you doing here?" Jace reeled back as if he'd been punched.

"I should ask you the same question." Jace growled. Suddenly a hand was on his shoulder, pushing him back and away from Alec.

"He's with me." The other figure said. Jace snarled, raising his stele again, and then went limp as he saw who the hand belonged to: Magnus.

"So that's why I can never find you around?" Jace sputtered, looking back and forth from Alec to Magnus, taking in the red tips of Alec's ears again. "You're too busy making out with _Magnus_ at night in alleys." Magnus chuckled slightly and then shrugged delicately as if to say: _what can you do?_, but when Jace turned to Alec, he was fuming. Jace laughed mockingly.

"What crawled up your ass and died? Does Magnus' breath really smell that bad?" Jace leered at Alec. If possible, he flushed even brighter red.

"You, that's what! You can't let me have any alone time; you always have to shove your nose where it doesn't belong." Alec said. Jace snorted, shaking his head.

"It's not as if you were exactly alone, Alec. And either way, even if I _am_ shoving my nose where it doesn't belong, at least I'm not shoving my dic-" He was cut off as Alec lunged towards him with both hands outstretched, reaching to shove Jace. Jace almost laughed as he danced to the side, leaving Alec stumbling into empty air instead of his chest. Almost with glee, Jace sheathed his stele in his belt and rammed his shoulder into Alec's back, shoving him into the wall. He could almost feel his anger at Clary melt away as he focused on trying to twist Alec's arms out of its socket, instead of on the pain he felt inside. Alec yelped slightly in pain and then-

Suddenly, Jace's limbs froze. Jace frowned, and tried to pull away from the wall and Alec, but he couldn't move an inch. Alec, however, didn't seem affected in the least as he wiggled out of Jace's now muscle-less grip and sidled back over to Magnus' side.

"That's enough play time for now kids." Magnus said, snapping his fingers once. Jace's control over his limbs suddenly returned, and he dropped his arms, shaking out his hands as blood rushed back into his fingers.

"Bastard." Jace muttered, shoving his hair out of his face with one hand as he narrowed his eyes at Magnus, the fingers of his other hand wrapping softly around his stele.

"How kind of you." Magnus commented dryly, before glancing down at Alec and giving him a funny sort of smile. "I can't imagine how you could have ever found him even slightly attractive." Alec grimaced and looked away, ducking his head.

"That's funny." Jace commented, sneering slightly. "I could've said the same to you." Magnus pointed one finger at Jace threateningly, narrowing his eyes.

"That's enough."

"That's not what you said to Alec a few minutes ago." Jace jested. Magnus furrowed his eyebrows, glowering darkly at Jace before growling,

"You should be lucky Alec values you so highly, or you would be no more than a puddle on the side of the street right now." Jace raised his hands then, baring his teeth in a frightening semblance of a smile.

"Oh, you're right. Your prowess has got me shaking in my boots. Not that I'm wearing boots of course, but if I was, I'm sure I'd be shaking in them."

Sorry it's so short, but it's late and I just wanted to write something quick before bed. I'll try and upload at least once a week, sometimes more if homework allows =). Let me know if I made any mistakes, or if you have any suggestions! I'd love to read any comments you have for me! =)

-Olive


	3. Chapter 3

Here's a little bit more that I was able to write during school today!

"Oh, you're right. Your prowess has got me shaking in my boots. Not that I'm wearing boots of course, but if I was, I'm sure I'd be shaking in them." Alec sighed heavily. "But if you _are_ looking for something to practice those mad powers of yours on, there's an Ecaj demon roaming around in the side street this alley's connected to." Alec raised an eyebrow, suppressing a chuckle.

"So that's why the side of your head's covered in blood? You couldn't outrun a giant rat?"

"I'm here aren't I?" Jace snapped.

"Unfortunately." Magnus commented, blue sparks dancing between his fingers. Suddenly, a scream echoed back towards them from the main street, followed by a sound of deep gurgling.

"Do people just go _looking_ for thing to eat them?" Jace asked, rolling his eyes slightly as he cracked his knuckles, itching for a fight.

"Only if their name happens to start with a J and end with -ace." Alec added cheerfully as he pulled the bow strapped to his back over his head. He pulled the wood free from its protective casing and deftly strung it with practiced motions, reaching for an arrow as he did so.

"Very funny, Alec." Jace said dryly.

"I rather thought it was quite hilarious as well." Magnus declared, surreptitiously dropping one glittery eyelid at Alec in an exaggerated wink as he pushed back the sleeves of his cloak. "Right then. Let's go, shall we?"

The trio sped down the alley single-file, as the narrow walls would allow no more than one man to pass through at a time, with Jace in the lead followed closely by Alec, and then Magnus.

"Is there a market for these kind of things?" Jace asked as they went, their footsteps echoing loudly in the enclosed area. "Deep-dark-alley real-estate: afraid of being caught in the act? Rent an alley, and you can get freaky all day long with no pesky interruptions." He laughed at his own joke, his biting tone resonating throughout the alley's confinements.

"You better watch it, Jace." Alec barked from behind him. Jace laughed again, throwing back his head as he did so.

"Or what? You're gonna send your boyfriend to come and get me?"

"Only if he asks nicely." Magnus commented dryly from several feet behind Jace, just as the three reached the main street that the alley connected to. Jace stopped abruptly at the entrance, and Alec cursed loudly as he walked straight into Jace's broad back. Jace ignored him, glancing down both sides of the alley. He caught sight of a huge shadow hunched over a small figure writhing on the ground beneath it.

"It's this way." He said, motioning for them to follow him as he turned left into the alley. The pitter patter of footsteps behind him told him they had followed. They were on the outskirts of the city, outside the protective gates that shielded demons from entering. Still, it was rather odd that there were demons lurking this close to the safety of the city, Jace thought as he approached the demon.

"Even for an Ecaj demon, that thing is _huge_. What the hell has it been eating?" Alec whispered. He was so close to Jace, his breath tickled the hairs on the back of Jace's neck as he talked. Jace shivered, remembering how Clary's breath had felt against his nose, her forehead pressed against his. Her fingers buried in hair, her scent heavy in his nose... He shuddered and tried to shake the memory away. He had to be focused, and if not for his own sake, then for the sake of Alec and Magnus.

They were mere yards from the Ecaj when Jace halted, throwing up a hand to let Magnus and Alec know they should as well. The demon was emitting low gurgling sounds as it feasted upon some unfortunate passerby, its tail softly scraping the ground as it chewed massive, plate-sized bites. Not giving them time to discuss a strategy, Alec knocked an arrow to his bow and pulled back on the string faster than the eye could follow. He released the string with a _twang_, and the arrow flew towards the demon, whistling through the air. It landed among a patch of fur on the Ecaj's hunched back and buried itself into the demon's flesh.

The demon whipped his head around, gurgling now with greater intensity. Its eyes glowed brighter red, its tail thrashing back and forth like a whip as it opened its mouth wide, the smell of rotting flesh floating towards them. Jace coughed, his eyes watering as the scent descended upon them. Holding his sleeve over his nose and mouth, Jace whispered furiously.

"Great, Alec. Now it's mad." Alec lowered his bow, hacking to the side as he tried to breathe. Magnus patted him on the back briefly, and Alec straightened, wiping his mouth.

"Thank you, genius. Got any other pearls of wisdom to grace us with?" Alec whispered back. Jace turned to glance at the Ecaj again, his eyes still smarting.

"Yep. Duck." And Jace dropped into a crouch, while Magnus flattened himself against the side of the alley. Alec's face assumed a confused expression as the demon's long, ropy tail whipped through the air, faster than any eye could hope to track. Too late, Jace's words registered in Alec's mind, and he moved to duck, but the demon was too fast. As he tried to drop to the ground in time, the whip-like tail struck Alec in the chest, clipping him on the face as well as it sent his body flying through the street. Alec was airborne for no more than a moment before he slammed into the opposite wall with a sickening _crack_.

Sorry to leave it at such a cliff-hanger but it was already pretty long, and I wanted to save some for next upload ;)

If anyone has any comments, suggestions, or ideas of what they'd like to see happen in this story, please let me know!

Thanks for reading and don't forget to comment or private message me with any thoughts you have! I love reading what you guys have to say!

-Olive

p.s. I opened up a poll on my profile about who's your favorite couple - make sure to vote!


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